ALLIANCE FOR CELL THERAPY RESEARCH - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Professor of Biology
• Professor of Biology and Director, Skeletal Research Center, Case Western Reserve University

Arnold Caplan is a Professor of Biology and the Director of the Skeletal Research Center at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Caplan received his B.S. in Chemistry at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois; and his Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Caplan did a Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Department of Anatomy at The Johns Hopkins University, followed by Postdoctoral Fellowships at Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts with Dr. N. O. Kaplan and Dr. E. Zwilling. He came to Case Western Reserve University as Assistant Professor of Biology in 1969 and rose through the ranks to become Professor in 1981. He has taken three sabbatical leaves: one in 1973 as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of California at San Francisco Medical School with Brian McCarthy and William Rutter; one in 1976 in the Institute de Chimie Biologique at the Faculty of Medicine de Strasbourg in the Laboratory of Pierre Chambon; and lastly, the Edna and Jacob Michael Visiting Professor of the Department of Biophysics with Nathan Sharon at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel in 1984. He has received a number of awards including the Elizabeth Winston Lanier Award given by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons as part of their 1990 Kappa Delta Awards Program, the 1999 Marshall R. Urist Award for Excellence in Tissue Regeneration Research given by the Orthopaedic Research Society, the Genzyme Lifetime Achievement Award given by the International Cartilage Repair Society in 2007, the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 and is an Inaugural Member of the "Pioneers of Innovation" chosen by the Advocacy Committee of the Orthopaedic Research Society, March 2014. He has trained over 150 researchers, has over 400 published papers and manuscripts and has long been supported by the National Institutes of Health and other non-profit and for-profit agencies for his efforts in trying to understand the development, maturation and aging and regeneration of cartilage, bone, skin and other mesenchymal tissues.

Job Titles:

• Executive Director, Regenerative Medicine Foundation Founder and Chair, World Stem Cell Summit

Bernard Siegel, JD, is the Executive Director of the nonprofit Regenerative Medicine Foundation (RMF), with the mission to accelerate regenerative medicine to improve health and deliver cures. Mr. Siegel serves as an Officer of Alliance for Cell Therapy Now and co-chairs its Advisory Board. Mr. Siegel founded and co-chairs RMF's annual World Stem Cell Summit and co-chairs the annual Regenerative Medicine Essentials Course at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He founded and serves co-editor-in-chief of the World Stem Cell Report, a supplement to the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine. He also founded and emcees the annual RMF Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine "Action" Awards gala ceremony honoring leading advocates and luminaries in the field. He founded and is the spokesperson for the Stem Cell Action Coalition, a 100+ member international alliance of nonprofits and research institutions leading the global "Pro-Cures Movement." In 2002, Mr. Siegel filed the first court case relating to reproductive cloning and is widely credited for debunking the claim of the group claiming that they cloned the first baby. He also played a pivotal leadership role in galvanizing a global movement that successfully lobbied the United Nations to reject a treaty that called for a prohibition of somatic cell nuclear transfer. Since then, he has taken a leadership and supportive role in many U.S. state funding and policy initiatives. Working with such groups as the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C., he has worked on federal legislative initiatives relating to advancing stem cell research. Most recently he has advocated for accelerating safe stem cell therapies, through the RMAT provisions in the 21st Century Cures Act, and for a nationally funded federal registry for-FDA approved regenerative cell therapies. Mr. Siegel is a recognized advocacy and policy expert in the fields of stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and related subjects. He works with the leading scientists and patient advocates, raising public awareness and educating lawmakers, the media and public. He is a frequent conference panelist and keynote speaker at conferences around the world.

Job Titles:

• Chief

Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, Senior Vice President, New York Blood Center; Head, Laboratory of Innovative Research, New York Blood Center; Member, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute

Job Titles:

• Executive Vice President of Innovation and Research for Sanford Health
• President of Innovation and Research, Sanford Health

Dr. David A. Pearce is Executive Vice President of Innovation and Research for Sanford Health. He also serves as Executive Vice President of Sanford Research and is a senior scientist with the Sanford Children's Health Research Center. He is also a Professor for the Department of Pediatrics with the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Alliance for Cell Therapy Now. He is one of the world's leading researchers of Batten disease and also established the Coordination of Rare Diseases at Sanford (CoRDS) program. He completed his undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree with honors in biological sciences at Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1986. He gained his Ph.D. in 1990 at the University of Bath, U.K., and did postdoctoral training at the University of Rochester, U.S., and Oxford University, U.K. Dr. Pearce heads the leading lab in Juvenile Batten disease research. He has been researching Juvenile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (Batten disease) since 1997. His research has led to the first clinical trial for Juvenile Batten disease. He has published over 100 research papers on Batten disease. He also oversees a national registry for rare diseases known as the Coordination of Rare Diseases at Sanford (CoRDS). He has served on numerous U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) review committees, has organized rare disease workshops for the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) arm of the NIH and is currently a member of the executive committee for the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC). In his role as Executive Vice President of Innovation and Research at Sanford, he is responsible for overseeing the development of research programs across Sanford's nine-state footprint, including more than 450 researchers, eight research centers and more than 300 ongoing clinical trials. With this, he is also responsible for commercialization of select research strategies, as well as integrating Sanford Research operations into Sanford Health International Clinics. Driven by Dr. Pearce's passion for developing patient-centered, impactful research programs Sanford Research is uniquely positioned to provide translational research that can bring important discoveries from bench to bedside, improving the quality of care. President of Innovation and Research, Sanford Health; Scientist, Pediatrics and Rare Diseases Group; Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Sanford School of Medicine of the University of South Dakota; Board Member, Alliance for Cell Therapy Now

Job Titles:

• Professor of Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences

Job Titles:

• Medical Director
• Medical Director, Plastic Surgery Skin Care Center Former President, American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Dr. Richard A. D'Amico serves as the Medical Director of the Plastic Surgery Skin Care Center in Englewood, New Jersey. He numbers among the accomplished plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and was the 2008 President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the largest association of plastic surgeons in the world. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of theSociety of Plastic Surgery Skin Care Specialists and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery where he serves on the Innovative Technology Committee, which evaluates and makes recommendations on the latest procedures and techniques performed in cosmetic surgery.

Job Titles:

• President and Chair, Stem for Life and Cura Foundation

Dr. Robin L. Smith, age 54, is a global thought leader in regenerative medicine - one of the fastest growing segments of modern-day medicine. She received her M.D. from the Yale School of Medicine and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business. During her tenure as CEO of the NeoStem family of companies (NASDAQ: NBS now CLBS), which she led from 2006 to 2015, she pioneered the company's innovative business model, combining proprietary cell therapy development with a successful contract development and manufacturing organization. Dr. Smith raised over $200 million, completing six acquisitions and one divestiture while the company won an array of industry awards and business recognition including a first-place ranking in the tri-state area (two years in a row), and eleventh place nationally, on Deloitte's Technology Fast 500, and Frost & Sullivan's North American Cell Therapeutics Technology Innovation Leadership Award. Dr. Smith coauthored two books: Cells Are the New Cure (2017) and The Healing Cell: How the Greatest Revolution in Medical History Is Changing Your Life (2013). She maintained a regular column for the Huffington Post for six years. Dr. Smith has been widely recognized for her leadership in health care and has received the Regenerative Medicine Foundation (RMF) 2019 Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Action Award for International Diplomacy in 2019 and the 2018 HEALinc Future Health Humanitarian Award. She has been widely recognized for her work as a female entrepreneur and received the Business Intelligence Group's Woman of the Year Award in 2018 and the 2018 Gold Stevie® Award for Woman of the Year - Government of Non-Profit. She is also a winner of the 2014 Brava! Award, which recognizes top women business leaders in the Greater New York area. Dr. Smith was elected to the 2018 NACD Directorship 100: Directors list by the NACD Directorship magazine for her work and expertise in corporate governance. She was also a finalist for the 2014 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the New York area, recognizing entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and success in the areas of innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. In April 2016, Pope Francis awarded Dr. Smith Dame Commander with Star Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester Pope and Martyr. Dr. Smith was awarded the Lifetime Achievement in Healthcare and Science Award by The National Museum of Catholic Art and Library in May 2017. In 2007, Dr. Smith founded the Stem for Life Foundation (SFLF), a nonpartisan 501(c)3 educational organization devoted to fostering global awareness of the potential for regenerative medicine to treat and cure a range of deadly diseases and debilitating medical conditions, as opposed to merely treating their symptoms. In 2010, in order to bring the charity's mission to a global audience, Dr. Smith forged a historic, first-of-its-kind partnership with the Vatican. As part of this relationship, the Vatican and SFLF collaborate to create high-profile initiatives that help catalyze interest and development of cellular therapies that could ultimately reduce human suffering on a global scale. Dr. Smith has served as chairman of the board and president of the SFLF since its inception and has been expanding its mission further under the Cura brand. In 2016, under Dr. Smith's leadership the foundation launched Unite To Cure, a global health movement that builds bridges between doctors, health systems, patients, business leaders, regulators, investors, politicians, philanthropists, and leaders of faith to collaborate and speed the development of cures, impact human health and save lives. The April 2018 global Unite To Cure event held at the Vatican, reached over 2.5 billion people standing alongside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The moderators included Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Meredith Vieira and Dr. Max Gomez. Pope Francis delivered remarks to the participants and the event featured an array of influencers, including Dr. Francis Collins, 47th U.S. Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Katy Perry, Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, musician Peter Gabriel, and over 300 of the world's leading doctors, scientists, philanthropists, regulators, ethicists, patients and thought leaders from around the globe. There were over 3,000 separate news stories that flowed out of the Unite To Cure event and social media posts, bringing Cura's message of hope and healing to nearly 3 billion people. Dr. Smith has extensive experience serving in executive and board level capacities for various medical enterprises and healthcare-based entities. On August 20, 2015, Dr. Smith joined the board of directors of Mynd Analytics (NASDAQ: MYND) as chairman. She recently joined the board of directors of Seelos Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SEEL) and has been a member of the board of directors of Rockwell Medical (NASDAQ: RMTI) since June 2016. She also serves as president and chairman of Stem for Life, Cognitive Warriors, and Cura Foundation, and is vice president and a member of the board of directors of the STOQ Foundation in Rome, Italy. Dr. Smith is co-chairman of the Life Sci advisory board on gender diversity and advisor to Dthera Sciences. She also serves on Sanford Health's International Board, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) Foundation board and the board of overseers at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. She previously served on the board of trustees of the NYU Langone Medical Center and is the past chairman of the board of directors for the New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases, BioXcel Corporation and Signal Genetics (NASDAQ: SGNL). She was appointed as clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine at the Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School in 2017. As a business leader, entrepreneur, doctor, and philanthropist, Dr. Smith is uniquely positioned to lead the global health care industry into personalized medicine using cellular therapy and predictive analytics.

Job Titles:

• Co - Chair of Mayo Clinic China Regional Development Group
• Department of Pain Medicine and Center for Regenerative Medicine, Mayo Clinic - Jacksonville
• Department of Pain Medicine and Center for Regenerative Medicine, Mayo Clinic - Jacksonville Co - Chair of Mayo Clinic China Regional Development Group
• Specialist

Dr. Wenchun Qu is a physiatrist and pain specialist, with special interest in regenerative medicine and information technology in medicine. His clinical and research focus include: In addition to clinical practice, research and education, Dr. Qu is the co-Chair of Mayo Clinic China Regional Development Group and leads efforts in building international collaborations for advancing high-value healthcare throughout the world.

Job Titles:

• Professor, Health Policy

Fred Sanfilippo, MD, PhD career has been as a physician-scientist and academic leader. He is the Director of the Emory-Georgia Tech Healthcare Innovation Program, which has been developed with support from the Woodruff Fund and in coordination with the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (CTSA) to enhance innovation in healthcare delivery research, education, and service. He is a Professor, Health Policy and Management at Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health. He serves as Medical Director of The Marcus Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Alliance for Cell Therapy Now. From 2007-2010 Dr. Sanfilippo served as Emory University Executive VP for Health Affairs, CEO of Emory's Woodruff Health Sciences Center, and Chairman of Emory Healthcare. He joined Emory after serving at Ohio State University as Senior VP for Health Sciences and CEO of the OSU Medical Center from 2000-2007, Executive Dean for Health Sciences (2004-2007), and Dean of the OSU College of Medicine and Public Health (2000-2006). He led the formation of the Ohio State Center for Personalized Health, serving as its first director, and the Center for Integrative Health. From 2000-2007 he served as chair of the Board of Directors of Managed Health Care Systems, Inc., which administered the Ohio State University health plans, and from 2004-06 he co-chaired the strategic planning process to develop Your Plan for Health (YP4H). From 1993 to 2000, Dr. Sanfilippo was the Baxley Professor and Director of the Department of Pathology at Johns Hopkins University, and Pathologist-in-Chief at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He led the formation of the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Transplant Center, serving as its first Director of Research. Prior to Johns Hopkins, Dr. Sanfilippo was on the Duke University faculty from 1979-1993, rising to Professor of Pathology, Surgery, and Immunology. At Duke he also served as Director of the Duke-VAMC Immunogenetics-Transplantation Laboratory, Director of the Duke Immunopathology Lab, and Chief of the Renal and Transplant Pathology services. As a leader, Dr. Sanfilippo has been active in academic medicine, transplantation, and pathology. He has served on the editorial board of 13 professional journals, been invited to speak at some 200 academic and scientific venues, and elected president of seven academic and professional organizations. He has been a consultant to over 80 university, government, and corporate institutions. As an educator, he has mentored 33 graduate students and fellows, and led the creation of numerous new courses, degree programs, departments, and centers at four institutions. As a scientist, he has published over 250 articles, been awarded three patents, and granted over $30 million in personal research support as principal investigator of R01, P01, and U01 grants from the NIH, as well as from the VA and industry. Dr. Sanfilippo earned his BS and MS degrees in physics from the University of Pennsylvania, and his MD and Ph.D. in immunology as a Medical Scientist Training Program Fellow at Duke University. He did his residency training in Pathology at Duke University Hospital, receiving Board certification in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, and Immunopathology. Professor, Health Policy and Management, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University; Director, Emory-Georgia Tech Healthcare Innovation Program; Medical Director, The Marcus Foundation; Board Member, Alliance for Cell Therapy Now

Job Titles:

• Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Dr. Christ has a broad interest in muscle physiology, intercellular communication and the role of muscle in the function and dysfunction of visceral, vascular and voluntary tissues (i.e., skeletal muscle). His research interests include physiological genomics, that is, establishing a verifiable link between changes in gene expression and alterations in cell/organ/tissue function/dysfunction, and then using this information to improve the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of smooth muscle diseases/disorders. To this end, Dr. Christ has developed a multidisciplinary approach that utilizes various visceral and vascular smooth muscle tissues/organs to attempt to establish "cause and effect" relationships between molecular/genetic alterations and measurable changes in organ function, namely, contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle cells. Animal vascular and visceral tissues are studied both in vitro and in vivo. Molecular, biochemical, electrophysiological, pharmacological, immunochemical, and whole animal techniques (rat and mouse transgenics and knockouts) are all used to study the mechanistic basis for integrative tissue physiology, as well as tissue pathophysiology, dysfunction and therapeutic repair. Parallel in vitro studies are conducted on corresponding human tissues for target validation whenever possible. The overall goal of his work is to translate scientific discoveries into technologies that can improve human health (i.e., translational research). In this regard, Dr. Christ is a co-inventor on more than 26 patents issued or applied for related to gene therapy treatments for smooth muscle disorders/diseases, and is the Co-Founder and Directing Member of Ion Channel Innovations, LLC., a development-stage biotechnology company pioneering the use of gene therapy for the treatment of human smooth muscle disorders. Recently, Dr. Christ has also focused on the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. A major focus of these efforts is to develop in vitro protocols and bioreactor systems for the accelerated maturation of engineered tissues both in vitro and in vivo; in order to further enhance their applications in regenerative medicine. In this regard, he has become extensively involved in interdisciplinary basic and translational studies directed toward muscle and vessel tissue engineering, as well as bladder regeneration, and regenerative pharmacology. Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Orthopaedic Surgery; Mary Muilenburg Stamp Professor of Orthopaedic Research; Director of Basic and Translational Research in Orthopaedic Surgery; Head, Laboratory of Regenerative Therapeutics; University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Job Titles:

• President, Alliance for Cell Therapy Now

Job Titles:

• Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics Professor

Job Titles:

• Louis Lemberg Professor of Medicine Founding Director, Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

Job Titles:

• Director of the Regenerative Medicine Clinical Center Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Job Titles:

• Director, University of Florida Center for Regen

Director, University of Florida Center for Regenerative Medicine; Vice Chief, Cardiology Research; Professor, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Department of Medicine; University of Florida

Dr. Krishnendu (Krish) Roy is the Robert A. Milton Chaired Professor in Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute for Technology (Georgia Tech). At Georgia Tech, he also serves as the Director of the NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT), The Marcus Center for Cell-Therapy Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M), and the Director for the Center for ImmunoEngineering. He is also the Technical Lead of the NIST/AMTech National Cell Manufacturing Consortium (NCMC), a national public-private partnership focused on addressing the challenges and solutions for large scale manufacturing of therapeutic cells. Dr. Roy received his undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (India) followed by his MS from Boston University and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. After working for 2 years at Zycos Inc., a start-up biotechnology company, Dr. Roy left his industrial position to join the Biomedical Engineering Faculty at The University of Texas at Austin in 2002, where he served as Professor and Fellow of the Cockrell Chair in Engineering Excellence. He left UT-Austin in July of 2013 to move to Georgia Tech. Dr. Roy's research interests are in the areas of scalable cell manufacturing, Immuno-engineering, stem-cell engineering, and controlled drug and vaccine delivery technologies, with particular focus in biomedical materials. In recognition of his seminal contributions to these fields, Dr. Roy has been elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES). In addition, Dr. Roy has received numerous awards and honors including Young Investigator Awards from both the Controlled Release Society (CRS) and The Society for Biomaterials (SFB), NSF CAREER award, Global Indus Technovator Award from MIT, the CRS Cygnus Award, etc. He is also the recipient of Best Teacher Award given by the Biomedical Engineering Students at UT-Austin and the best advisor award given by bioengineering students at Georgia Tech. He serves as a member of the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Controlled Release, the European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, and the Journal of Immunology and Regenerative Medicine. He is a member of the Forum on Regenerative Medicine of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) and a Board Member of the newly established Standards Coordinating Body (SCB) for Cell and Regenerative Therapies.

Job Titles:

• Board Member and Co - Director of Healthcare Initiatives, NFL Alumni Association
• Board Member, Co - Director of Healthcare Initiatives, NFL Alumni Association
• Managing Partner for 1st National Title
• Member of the Shock Trauma Board of Visitors

Kyle Davis Richardson, board member and Co-Director of Healthcare Initiatives, NFL Alumni Association, is a former National Football League (NFL) player and a graduate of Arkansas State with a degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. He is currently a successful entrepreneur living in Baltimore, Maryland. Over a 9-year NFL career, he played for six teams, including a four-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens that included a Super Bowl championship. While with the Ravens in 1999, he set a then NFL record for landing 39 punts inside the 20-yard line. During his NFL career, Kyle was also very active in charitable endeavors, raising thousands of dollars to support the ALS Association. During his playing career, Kyle's entrepreneurial interest was piqued. Following his playing days, Kyle became Managing Partner for 1st National Title in Baltimore, MD, where he was responsible for helping bring in new business and delivered major accounts such as CitiMortgage, Wachovia Bank, and HSBC. Within two years, he helped turn the company into one of the largest title companies within the state of Maryland. In 2008, Kyle also became a board member of GreenConencted.com, which helps promote environmentally sustainable companies to the marketplace. In 2010, Kyle launched a sports website called AthleteTransitions.com, which helped athletes in various stages of their career become more well-rounded in financial education and life strategies. In 2011, he and his business associate, Matt Stover, sold the start-up to NFL Properties, LLC. Kyle became a 2012 member of the Shock Trauma Board of Visitors and is an active advocate for one of Maryland's greatest safety blankets to its citizens. Also, in 2012, Kyle was introduced to Tom Hudson and Marty Ostendorf and the three of them founded Caring One, and Kyle stepped into the role of Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Leveraging relationships, he has built over the years, Kyle assumed the role of President of the company and now oversees the day-to-day operations. Utilizing his experience in the field of healthcare, Kyle builds upon his entrepreneurial approach to help Caring One clients achieve their goals and meet their expectations. In 2015, Kyle was elected President of the Baltimore National Football League Alumni Chapter, a 501c3 charity that has given thousands of dollars to various local community programs with efforts on feeding homeless school children, scholarship-giving, and various STEM programs throughout the state of Maryland. During the past year, Kyle has been elected to the national board of directors for NFL Alumni Inc. with direct involvement of the NFLA initiatives in health and wellness for all members. In the same year, Kyle was also elected to the NFLA's Board of Ethics for a three-year term.

Job Titles:

• Louis Lemberg Professor of Medicine Founding Director, Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

Job Titles:

• Chief Executive Officer
• President
• President and Cheif Executive Officer of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine

Dr. Maria Millan serves as the President and Cheif Executive Officer of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Millan is a physician-scientist who has devoted her career to treating and developing innovative solutions for children and adults with debilitating and life-threatening conditions. After receiving her undergraduate degree from Duke University where she first entered the arena of immunology research, she returned to her home in New Jersey where she obtained her M.D. degree and then went on to complete her surgical training and post-doctoral research in Boston at Harvard Medical School - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. After a transplant surgery fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine, she began her academic career with a busy pediatric and adult transplant surgery practice focused on technical advancements and optimization of patient outcomes. In parallel, she continued her bench research at Stanford and was promoted within 5 years to associate professor and director of the Pediatric Organ Transplant Program. She served on multiple leadership teams including the Faculty Senate and the Dean's faculty committee at Stanford University School of Medicine and served on the Children's Hospital operations committee. She has published in the areas of cell biology, immunology and clinical organ transplantation. With early signals from the science that stem cell and regenerative medicine therapy was the new frontier for medicine, she ventured into the private sector in 2006 to join StemCells, Inc., one of the earliest stem cell organizations and the first to enter into an FDA-regulated clinical trial with a stem cell treatment for children with a fatal neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Millan then joined the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in December 2012 where she led the formation of the Alpha Stem Cell Clinics Network, a network of California medical centers that specialize in rigorous and high-quality clinical trials and top-tier medical care for patients participating in these trials. This clinical network is successfully supporting over 45 clinical trials and was recently expanded to include 5 programs composed of 7 medical centers and their affiliated hospitals. As a key component of CIRM's bold5-year strategic plan launched in 2016, which was designed to accelerate stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs, Dr. Millan led the development of critical infrastructure, including specialized regulatory, preclinical research, manufacturing, and clinical operations support for stem cell and regenerative medicine trials. In July 2017, Dr. Millan took on the role as president and CEO of CIRM, and she was formally appointed by CIRM's board in September 2017. Under her leadership, CIRM continues to drive the mission of accelerating stem cell treatments to patients with unmet medical needs, is on track to achieve its 5-year strategic plan, has now funded a total of 45 clinical trials and is continuing to grow this robust portfolio of high-quality programs by the month. President and Chief Executive Officer; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Job Titles:

• Board - Certified Plastic Surgeon
• Medical Director, Cosmeticsurg

Dr. Ricardo Rodriguez is a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon who has been practicing Plastic Surgery for more than 25 years. Dr. Rodriguez serves as the Medical Director for Cosmeticsurg. During his extensive medical training, Dr. Rodriguez completed two surgical residencies: General Surgery at Tulane University, and Plastic Surgery at Yale Medical School. Upon graduating from his Plastic Surgery residency, he was asked to join the Yale Plastic Surgery Faculty where he taught residents in training. After becoming Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery in 1991, he started a private practice in the Baltimore area. Dr. Rodriguez was elected President of the Maryland State Society of Plastic Surgeons in 2002. For over two decades, he has been active member of the ASPS, and now serves on the very prestigious ASPS Regenerative Medicine Task Force Team, which is ushering the new era of adipose stem cells to Plastic Surgeons. In 2004, he was honored by the ASPS with the "Distinguished Service Award" for his outstanding commitment to plastic surgery education. He currently serves as a Clinical Instructor at Johns Hopkins Plastic Surgery Department in Baltimore. Plastic Surgery residents in training at JHU rotate through his practice for their training. Medical Director, Cosmeticsurg.net; Member, Regenerative Medicine Task Force, American Society of Plastic Surgeons; Former President, International Federation for Adipose Therapeutics and Science (IFATS)

Job Titles:

• Chairman

Robert A. Milton Chair; Director, NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) for Cell Manufacturing Technologies (CMaT); Director, Marcus Center for Cell-Therapy Characterization and Manufacturing (MC3M); Technical Lead, National Cell Manufacturing Consortium; Director, Center for ImmunoEngineering; Georgia Institute of Technology

Job Titles:

• Professor